> ~ Insights by SewCalGal ~

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

FMQ Challenge Recap - January 2012




First, I want to recognize and formally thank Frances Moore, our January FMQ expert for her wonderful tutorial, as well as all the insightsshe shared on her blog, to provide supplemental information and inspiration.  Of course, I always enjoy her blog, but it was greatly appreciated to have her so active in support of her tutorial this month.


To help express appreciation to Frances, I took the liberty to share a few comments and observations that I've seen this month:


{above} Gail Fossman shared on the groups' optional Facebook page:  "Did my January FMQ today and I must say that after watching the video & practicing on paper, this is some of the best quilting I've done!!! i can't wait for February!"

{above} Many were inspired by various designs by Frances.  Gelopop shared this beautiful entry as her Flickr entry.
{above} Many tried creating versions of the leaves, including this one by Diane Myron and shared on Facebook.

I believe we all learned and improved our free-motion skills this month, and many had fun applying this FMQ design to UFOs and other projects.  Thus, I want to give a big stand up applause to Frances Moore for teaching us and inspiring us with FMQ.  Thank you, Frances.


There are over 2,000 quilters that have taken the Pledge to complete all 12 tutorials in 2012, which is a requirement to win a Grand Prize.  And, there are many more quilters that are participating, but have acknowledged their schedule won't allow them to complete all 12 tutorials.  At the time of writing this post, there are 300 quilters that complete the January tutorial and took time to enter it in the monthly challenge, to win a Monthly prize.

The objective of the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge is to encourage quilters to learn and improve their FMQ skills, as well as gain more awareness to various FMQ Experts, opportunities to learn, tools that are helpful for those doing FMQ, all on a home sewing machine.  While the focus is on learning, and SewCalGal does not want the focus to become all about winning prizes, I'm also delighted that many generous sponsors have donated wonderful Grand Prizes and Monthly prizes, that will be awarded to participants randomly.  It doesn't matter how good you are at FMQ, what matters is you take time to learn and improve.

Details on how to win a monthly prize will always be shared in the same post for the monthly tutorial. Details on how to win a Grand Prize will be shared later this year, but hte basic rule will be that you will need to complete all 12 FMQ tutorials "anytime" in 2012 to be eligible to win a Grand Prize.

SewCalGal is proud to recognize our
GRAND PRIZE SPONSORS
for this challenge.
IF you are interested in being a Grand Prize sponsor, please email SewCalGal for more info.


Sponsor(s) Prize(s)
The Fat Quarter Shop
Six prizes for Grand Prize Winners:
1 - $250 GC
1 - $150 GC
1 - $100 GC
3 - $50 GCs
logo One lucky winner will receive a $200 gift certificate to The Stencil Company where they can pick out their favorite continuous line stencil designs that are perfect for quilting
Dream World
One lucky winner will receive a Pieceful Holiday Quilting Package, which includes:
a Steady portable tables, a Travel/Storage Bag, Sew Straight Guide, Spinner Tray and Polish Kit
Pieceful Quilting Holiday Package w/ Drawer Tray
estimated value: $149.99
The Electric Quilt Company One lucky winner will receive a copy of EQ7

Retail price: $189.95
June Tailor A bundle of June Tailor products, perfect for free motion quilting, with an estimated value over $100
A bundle of books, perfect for those interested in free motion quilting, with an estimated value over $100


SewCalGal is proud to recognize our
MONTHLY PRIZE SPONSORS
for this challenge.


Sponsor(s) Prize(s)

sampler pack of 5 threads (12)

Silk Stars Thread kit, with 12 spools of 40 wt threads:

Aurifil Silk Stars Thread Collection-





SewSlip

SewSlip has donated 12 SewSlips!
Revolving Sewslip images

Sewline: Trio Three Color Fabric Marking Pencils with an extra refill package.
Sewline Products
Quilters Touch Quilters Touch has donated 12 bundles, each with a value of $27.95:
Machinge 1 (Medium)

  • Sew Precise Sew Fast Machine Binding DVD (retail $19.95),
Electric Quilt winners' choice of Quiltmaker Quilting Designs software
from Volume 1-7



Quiltmaker Volume 7 software





Prizes for the challenge this month are:

Prize #1 - Silk Stars Thread kit, with 12 spools of 40 wt threads, donated by Aurifil.
Aurifil Silk Stars Thread Collection-


Prize #2 - bundle that includes:
  • a sampler pack of 5 Aurifil threads,, donated by Aurifil.
  • a SewSlip, donated by SewSlip
Revolving Sewslip images









Quilters Touch has donated 12 bundles, each with a value of $27.95:
Machinge 1 (Medium)

  • Sew Precise Sew Fast Machine Binding DVD (retail $19.95),




There is still time to enter to win a prize, simply visit the January tutorial for more information. But all entries for this monthly challenge need to be submitted in January.   This post will be updated later this week, to announce the January winners.  And, an email will be sent to the winners.

The February tuturial will be released on February lst.  An email announcement, with additional information, will also be sent to those that signed up for optional emails for this event. If you didn't sign up for such emails and are interested, click here to sign up. 


Don't forget that you can always use the January tutorial provided by Frances Moore.  SewCalGal encourages everyone to continue to practice with this excellent tutorial, to be able to apply it to your quilting projects.  I also hope that you will consider tell your local Quilt Guild and Quilt Shops about Frances, as she is certainly willing to travel to teach FMQ and can help quilters of all levels.  And, don't forget to follow her blog, as she always shares great tips & inspiration.



Frances Moore
email: frantasticquilts@sbcglobal.net
blog: http://frantastic-stitchwitchery.blogspot.com

27 comments:

Heather said...

Oh, I hope there's still time today to enter my block. I finished it last week I just have to post a picture of it. I loved doing this block. It was a new method and I cannot wait for more.

Denise :) said...

I have to say, more than anything I've appreciated the challenge to just DO it. Thanks for such a great month, Darlene. I'm really looking forward to February's challenge (and won't wait so long to get to it, either)! :)

Editfolt said...

Thank you Darlene & Frances. I'm really looking forward to February's challenge.
Edit from Hungary!

Anonymous said...

I had a lot of fun with January's tutorial! I was a bit nervous about whether I could accomplish this challenge, but Frances' tutorial combined with just sitting down and giving it a try, told me that I can do this!

Janet O. said...

This challenge is so good for me. Having just taken FMQ classes last fall at my LQS, the holiday piecing projects got in the way of using what I learned. I needed something to keep me practicing. This is getting me motivated again. Thanks!

Wacky Woman said...

Here here for Frances! And here here to you Darlene for your planning this very valuable part of quilting for all of us. This ia a fun way to get motivated and moving.

Frances Moore said...

It was my pleasure and honor to participate in this wonderful challenge. To all the quilters out there, thank you for all of your support and comments. Remember the hardest step is just starting. After that it's a piece of cake!

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Thank you to Frances for being our first 'mentor' into the FMQ Challenge. It all comes down to practice and just doing it with no whining! Now, to grab a coffee, bit of chocolate, and off to quilt up that new scrappy quilt.

Unknown said...

I've really enjoyed the challenge so far. A big thank you to everyone involved from me.

sew.darn.quilt said...

Thank you for the valuable education your instructors are offering.
I'm looking forward to February's tutorial :)

Carolyn

Joanna said...

Thank you to Frances and to the other "students" who posted or commented on the facebook page. I've been inspired and encouraged, and have kept up my participation as a result. And thanks, Darlene, for all of the links you provide. I've plugged in to some great new bloggers who so generously share what they have learned.

Marika said...

♥Thanks for the great challenge for everyone was very enthusiastic about the month of January. Maybe a happy feeling lasts throughout the world get to know friends from all over the word.
Thread a needle contact with the world with love:)
♥♥Thanks to everyone for his work primarily educational presentations

AnnieBikes said...

I really enjoyed the tutorial and am looking forward to the next one. Thanks so much to Frances, and to Darlene.

laila said...

Thank you for a great challenge this month, I havent had much time and hopes February will me more time for quilting. It's a wonderful idea and I look forward to the next challenge.

Bouts Choisis said...

Thanks for hosting such a brilliant start to the year. It's been great fun and very inspiring. I can't wait to see what's next!

Anonymous said...

Thanks to Frances and Darlene. This challenge is such a great motivator! Looking forward to each of the remaining tutorials - now back to piecing another small sampler quilt for upcoming lessons!
Pat in Oregon

June D said...

Thank you for organizing this event for learning!

Martha said...

I think this is such a fabulous idea to learn from these wonderful teachers. I think my favorite part of the challenge is learning together with so many awesome quilters! Thank you to everyone participating. I am having a blast reading about all the machine quilting practice and seeing all the beautiful blocks that have resulted. FUN!!!

Carolyn said...

Thank you Frances and Darlene. I learned heaps from your tutorial Frances, and thank you for giving me the confidence in myself to "just do it". I am already at my computer to watch what Dianne has for us!

Unknown said...

I would like to say "thank You" to Frances, Darlene and our sponsors for helping us this year to learn FMQ on our home machines. Frances after I practiced your demo awhile I couldn't believe I was actually FMQ leaves and they looked pretty good. You were there when we had questions and I appreciated that very much...just a yell out of gratitude, thanks again.

Lyn in Vernon said...

January was great and many thanks to Sew Cal for organizing this. I'm chomping at the bit for February's tutorial - feel like a little kid at Christmas!

Dana Gaffney said...

I join you in applauding Frances, the video was very easy to follow and by the looks of it, everyone did very well. Thank you.

Josie McRazie said...

I had a great time 'trying'! My second one looked better than my first!! I can't wait to get started on Feb! I know I can only get better!!

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

This has been so much fun and Frances was a wonderful teacher and I will continue to enjoy her blog.

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

Thank you to Frances....had a ball!!

zarina said...

Thank you for providing the chance to win.

concerningzarina at gmail dot com

Librarynan said...

Thank you Frances, for the tutorial... I now LOVE leaves!